Electrically-controlled speaking-tube



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' (No Model.)

G. s. WILLIAMSON. BLEGTRICALLY GONTROLLED SPEAKING TUBE.

'Na 540,529. Patented June 4, 1895.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. S. WILLIAMSON. ELEGTRIGALLY GONTRQLLBD SPEAKING TUBE.

No. 540,529. Patented June 4371895 f '2W/94, s

A w/TNESSES: /NVE/vro/ UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

GEORGE s'. WILLIAMSON, OE MoKEEsPO'RT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRlCALLY-CONTROLLED SKP'E'AKING-TUBE SPECIFICATIQN forming part ofLetters Patent No. 540,529, dated June 4, 1895. Application ned rebmry1s, :1895. serial No. 538,747. (No man.)

speaking tube, designed for use in dwellings,

stores, hotels, ctc., and arranged to permit of conveniently connectingany two roomswithA each other,l either with or without the interventionof a central office; also permitting the cent-ral oflice when called toquickly sound an ala-rm in each room in case of danger of tire or othercauses.

The invention consists of a whistleinclosed in a casing having aspeaking tube inlet and a mouth piece, a valve for controlling the con-ynection between the lnouth piece and whistle, and an electric circuitprovided with electromagnets and having an armature lever controlledfrom the whistle. 1

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter. andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofIthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement arranged'with a centralofice, the building being in section. Fig. 2 is a like view of theimprovement arranged without a central office. Fig. 3 is a face view ofthe signal-box.

. Fig. 4 is a sectional front View of the same,

and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

As illustrated in Fig. l, a main speaking tube A extends through theseveral lioors B', B2, B2, B4, B5 of a building B, and on the lower endof the said main speaking tube A, is arranged awhistle and mouth-piece Cof any approved construction. From each of the floors B2, B2, B4, B5,leads a branch tube D, connecting with a signal box E provided on itsface with a mouth-piece F opening into a chamber E' formed in the box,as is plainly illustrated in Figs. 4: and 5. In this chamber E' isarranged a valve seat G, normally closed by a valve G', to disconnectthe chamber E' from the chamber E2, into which opens the branch tube D.The valve stem G2 of the valve G', extends through the base of the boxlE, and is provided at its Outer end with a suitable handle `G3 adaptedto be taken hold ofv :a whistle H of usual construction, vleading into achamber E3 likewise formed in the box E alongside the chambers E' andE2, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4. In this chamber E2 are arranged apair of magnets I, and an armature lever J, fulcrumed at J' within thebox E, andA carrying at its free end a ball J2 l normally closing theinner aperture H' of the whistle H. A spring J3 serves to hold the leverJ normally out of contact with the magnets I.

Now it will be seen that when a blast of air passes into the chamber E2either from the .tube D or froml the mouth-piece F at the time the valveG' is open, then the air will pass into the whistle H and sound the sameprovided the armature lever was previously attracted by its magnets I.

The magnets I are connected with wires K and K', of which the wire K isconnected with the main tube A, while the wire K' leads to a switchboard L, preferably arranged in the lower door B' at the central office.The several wires K', from the several floors B' to B5, terminate atlthe switch board L in contact points K2, K2, K4, K5 respectively. Aswitch leverKis adapted to connect with any of the contact points K2,K3, K4, K5, and the said lever is connected by a push button and wire K7with one pole of a battery N, connected at its other pole by a wire K8with the main tube A, so that the latter serves as a'conduct or for theseveral wires K. Now, when a party, say on the fourth floor B4, of abuilding, desires to call a party on the second floor B2, then he firstpulls the lever G3 at his signal -box E and IOO blows into the`mouthpiece F, so Athat the y whistle C is sounded in the central officeon the first Hoor. Theattendant of the central office is then informedthat this party desires to connect with the second door, andconsequently `the attendant moves the switch lever K6 to the contactpoint K2. As soon as the switch lever KG is moved onto the contact pointK2, then the electro-magnets I on the second lioor attract their lever Jso that the whistle l-I in the iirst signal box E is free, andconsequently the party on the fourth iioor, on blowing into themouth-piece F, sounds the whistle H in the signal box of the secondfloor B2. The two parties, the one on` the fourth floor and the one onthe second door, are in communication with each other through the maintube A and the branch tubes D leading from their signal boxes.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the central oilice is dispensed with, and oneach fioor B', B2, B3, B", B5 are arranged switches L', L2, L3, L4, L5respectively, all alike in construction and similar to the switch Lpreviously described. A Wire K9 connects the several switch levers witheach other and with the Wire K7 leading to the battery N, so that aparty on any of the iioors, by moving the switch lever to the desiredcontact point of another ioor, can call up the party thereon, so as toestablish communication between the two floors. In this instance thewire Ks is dispensed with, and wire K leads from the lower signal box Eto the battery N. It is understood that this calling up of one party byanother, is similar to the one described above in reference to a partyon one of the floors calling up the central oflice.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. A speaking tube, comprising awhistle inclosedin a casing and adapted to be sounded from a mouth-piece and a mainspeaking tube, a valve for controlling the connection between themouth-piece and Whistle, and an electric circuit provided with electro-magnets and having an armature lever for normally closing the saidwhistle, substantially as shown and described.

2. A speaking tube provided with a signal box having a connection with amain tube and a mouth piece, a whistle arranged in the said box, aspring pressed valve for controlling the connection between the mouthpiece and whistle, and a lever normally engaging the whistle and closingthe same, substantially as shown and described.

3. A speaking tube, provided with a signal box comprising a casingdivided into chambers, of which one is connected with the main speakingtube, andthe second is provided with a mouth-piece, a valve forcontrolling the connection between the said first and second chambers, awhistle arranged between the first and third chambers, and a leverarranged in the third chamber for normally closing the said whistle,substantially as shown and described.

4. A speaking tube, provided with a signal box comprising a casingdivided into chambers, of which one is connected with the main speakingtube, and the second is provided with a mouth-piece, a valve forcontrolling the connection between the said irst and second chambers, awhistle arranged between the first and third chambers, a lever arrangedin the third chamber for normally closing the said whistle, and anelectric circuit provided with electromagnets in the third chamber, andadapted to attract the said lever, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE S. WILLIAMSON.

Witnesses:

S. O. LoWRY, C. S. Lownn.

